How Seven Fashion Designers Would Dress the Characters of ‘Bridgerton’
Buzz for Netflix’s “Bridgerton” is continuing as news broke Thursday that the popular British period drama is being renewed for a second season.
Among the many things “Bridgerton” has become known for — its captivating love story, formal British vocabulary and “Gossip Girl”-like narrator, Lady Whistledown — the show’s costumes have proven to resonate the most among fans and fashion designers. The opulent, regal-like costumes have already proven to be an influence on spring 2021 fashion trends, and many designers are taking inspiration from the costumes for their upcoming collections. Even Dior would have felt right at home in “the ton” with their recent nobles-inspired 2021 couture collection.
Here, WWD asked seven designers to pick pieces from their recent collections that they think the characters of “Bridgerton” would wear. Read on for more and click through the above gallery for more photos.
LoveShackFancy
LoveShackFancy’s collections of floral, feminine dresses are a modern-day take on what the “Bridgerton” women would wear.
Founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen thinks the show’s protagonist, Daphne Bridgerton, would wear the brand’s Ryan dress, a white floral and lace embroidered dress with puff sleeves, or the Angie dress, a silk, floral motif dress embellished with an old-fashioned brooch, that are available on the brand’s website.
“Beyond elegant, what would Daphne wear?” Hessel Cohen said. “The Angie and the Ryan, of course. Meant for everyday wear, our modern, romantic interpretations of late-18th-century evening gowns with fantastical Regency-era custom lace details, endless tulle and Empire-waist silhouettes make for the perfect addition to Daphne’s closet.”
Hessel Cohen also chose pieces from LoveShackFancy’s spring collection that are a fit for Lady Bridgerton, such as a pink floral embroidered dress, a white empire waist lace dress and a maxi powder blue dress with ruffle detailing.
Markarian
Fresh from designing First Lady Jill Biden’s Swarovski pearl and crystal-embellished inauguration outfit, Markarian designer Alexandra O’Neill sees many of her spring 2021 collection being a fit for the ladies of “Bridgerton.”
“The brand is based on looks that are made for special occasions,” O’Neill said. “‘Bridgerton’ has so many special moments based around the events on the show. From balls, the high teas and many more, Markarian’s special pieces are the perfect accent to the amazing events on the show.”
O’Neill sees Daphne Bridgerton wearing a white, strapless dress with reflective details from her spring 2021 collection, and thinks her younger sister Eloise would wear a white, floral-detailed dress with puff sleeves.
The designer thinks the show’s more eccentric Featherington family would choose the more colorful pieces from the collection, such as a pink floral-patterned dress and a light blue midi-length dress.
Cinq à Sept
Cinq à Sept designer Jane Siskin was one of the many “Bridgerton” fans transfixed by the show’s costumes, and was even inspired by them for an upcoming capsule collection she’s releasing later this season.
“Bridgerton captivated us all. The characters, the story and of course, the costumes,” she said. “Cinq à Sept’s feminine aesthetic and unexpected details are perfectly in line with the looks of our favorite characters. The natural parallels inspired a capsule collection to be delivered later this season.”
Siskin thinks a dual-toned silk slipdress with puff sleeves from the brand’s pre-fall 2021 collection would be a fit for Daphne Bridgerton. “Daphne Bridgerton has a natural romance and excitement to her character,” Siskin said. “The airy silhouettes she wears play into her innocence while luxe details and enchanting colors show off her strength and determination.”
For Bridgerton’s rebellious younger sister Eloise, Siskin chose a burgundy menswear-inspired suit and youthful lavender-hued dresses. “Eloise Bridgerton’s style is a delightful balance of masculine and feminine, which is something we love to play with,” she said. “We imagine Eloise in one of our men’s wear-inspired suits decorated with embellishments while attending a ball.”
Hill House Home
Hill House Home’s Nap dress has become a quarantine favorite for many women who want a cute, comfortable option while stuck at home. The house dress was also embraced in “Bridgerton” as they gathered and entertained in their respective drawing rooms.
Founder and chief executive officer Nell Diamond sees her Nap Dress as an ideal option for the “Bridgerton” women. “The versatility of the Nap Dress makes it perfect for a range of ‘Bridgerton’ characters to wear from home to events,” she said.
Diamond sees Daphne Bridgerton in the brand’s Sabrina Nap dress, a white, puff-sleeved dress with a blue floral pattern, paired with its Noor Headband, which is powder blue and has jewel embellishments. She sees Penelope Featherington wearing the brand’s Athena Nap dress, a mini, gold brocade dress with puff sleeves. For Marina Thompson, Diamond chose the Ellie Nap dress which she thinks “fits nicely with Marina’s feminine, but cool style.”
Lele Sadoughi
The accessories seen in “Bridgerton” were just as impactful as the dresses. Accessories designer Lele Sadoughi sees many of the women of “Bridgerton” looking to the brand’s pearl and jewel-embellished offerings.
“Bridgerton is a wonderful story about coming of age and expression of personality told through bright colors, rich velvets, dripping pearls and maximal jewels,” she said. Sadoughi sees Daphne Bridgerton wearing the brand’s velvet bows and pearl-embellished headbands to reflect her innocent and feminine style. “I imagine she would be a fan of our pearl headbands as a crown of choice to signify her new status as duchess.”
Sadoughi thinks Eloise Bridgerton would also gravitate toward pearl-embellished accessories. “Eloise is a modern woman who wants to prioritize her studies over attending the events during the ‘ball season,’” she said. “She would likely choose our Pearl Bardot headbands paired with the ‘put a ring on it’ gloves as a cheeky way for her to make a statement that would have Lady Whistledown and all of society talking.”
She sees Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte also choosing pearls, with Lady Danbury wearing a more refined pearl choker while the queen embellishes her lavish style with pearl chandelier earrings and a crystal butterfly embellished headband.
Badgley Mischka
Badgley Mischka designers, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, see the colorful feminine dresses from their spring 2021 collection a fit for the “Bridgerton” cast.
The designers see Daphne Bridgerton wearing a soft pink dress with an exaggerated, ruffled neckline from their recent collection, stating: “The melting color and soft neckline with her porcelain complexion and red hair would be magical and emphasize the surface of her demure character.”
They also see the show’s Lady Danbury wearing a vibrant red dress with pink puff sleeves from the collection. “This is a dramatic diva gown in every way — the neckline, silhouette and the colors fit with her grand style,” they said.
Designer Monique Lhuillier thinks the elegant, ethereal gowns in her recent bridal and ready-to-wear collections would be a fit for many of the ladies of “Bridgerton.”
Lhuillier chose a tulle, floral embellished wedding gown with sheer detailing from her fall 2021 bridal collection for the show’s protagonist. “As the debutante of the season, Daphne Bridgerton’s style never ceased to impress,” Lhuillier said.
Lhuillier also sees a fuchsia-colored, floral-embellished gown as a perfect fit for Penelope Featherington, whose family opts for more bold and colorful dresses. “She has a ton of personality and really shines in a rainbow of colors throughout the season,” she said.
The designer chose a voluminous floral gown from a recent collection for the show’s opulent Queen Charlotte, which Lhuillier said “allows for a dramatic entrance fit for a queen.”
Read more here:
What the Characters of ‘Bridgerton’ Would Wear This Spring
‘Bridgerton’ Costume Designer Talks Creating the Show’s Colorful Costumes
Regé-Jean Page Is Netflix’s Newest Heartthrob
WATCH: Inside LoveShackFancy’s Spring 2021 Collection
